


Pretty Eyes

by spica_22



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: And More Fluff, Artist!Levi, Childhood Friends, Childhood Lovers, Ereri Secret Santa, Fluff, Grisha Ain't a Douche Movement, Height Differences, Let's heat up the car iykwim, Let's heat up the tub iykwim, M/M, Modern-day!AU, More Fluff, Mostly Fluff, Some OOC-ness, adorkable boyfriends, artist!Eren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 16:12:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2856989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spica_22/pseuds/spica_22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren laced their fingers together once more, and smirked at Levi. </p><p>“I’m not the only one with pretty eyes in this relationship, you know.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pretty Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pomodoro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pomodoro/gifts).



> Another for the 2014 Ereri Secret Santa. This one sort of ran away at random places, and I had a hard time reining it back in, and well. Here's the result. I hope you enjoy this story, too. :)

Levi stood just behind the railing, his hands gripping the steel tightly. The placard he had brought stood between his shin and the railing, with the plain side facing the steel divider. He was normally adept at hiding most of his emotions, but at that moment, he was having a difficult time doing so. He kept on checking his watch, kept on bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of his feet. When he wasn’t checking his watch, his eyes were trained on the arched walkway. Any minute now; he could be arriving any minute now.

It was Wednesday, and normally, Levi would have been working at the museum. However, he had been able to take a day off just to be able to wait at the airport. And now, here he was, waiting and waiting, but rather impatiently.

Once again, he glanced at his watch. The face said 10:43 in big, block numbers, and his heart sped up at that information. _Any minute now,_ he thought. A group of people filing out of the walkway caught his eye, and he quickly grabbed the placard and held it up high above his head. More people filtered through the passage, and his heart decided to run.

“Fuck, Levi,” he berated himself. “Get it together.”

He stood like that for about five minutes; his head craned to look for the person he was waiting for, and his arms struggled to lift the poster higher, if that were at all possible. Just as he was about to check his watch for the umpteenth time, a pair of viridian eyes met his own steel blue ones. His heart ran fervid in his chest, and if he had been honest with himself, he would not have been surprised if he fainted on the spot. But he determinedly stood his ground, offering up a smile to the man with the startling green eyes.

The answering smile was nothing short of stunning, and Levi found himself inwardly simpering at the sight. The man hastened to where Levi stood, his luggage rolling along rather noisily on the marbled floor. His chestnut brown hair bounced slightly as he walked, and his smile only widened with each step. A few moments later, and Levi found a pair of lips gently brushing his cheeks in a soft kiss.

“Hey,” the man breathed. “I’m back.”

It was uncharacteristic of him to do so, but Levi propelled himself forward, and threw his arms around the man’s neck. He pulled him down for a tight hug, and be damned all these staring people! He had not seen his boyfriend for close to three months, and his emotions were raw once he saw him walk through that passageway. He wanted to cry, to shout, to jump, all in joy over seeing this man.

Levi drew back a bit and looked his boyfriend in the eye—those gorgeous gem-like eyes, which were a brilliant jade green in the mixed morning and airport lights. Up close, he could see the flecks of gold in them, and he wondered how one person could have such stunning eyes.

“Eren,” he murmured. “I’m glad you’re back.”

 _Glad?_ he thought. _Fucking understatement of all time._

Eren only crushed Levi to himself as best as he could with his free arm and deposited a lingering kiss on the top his boyfriend’s head. Levi sighed at the contact, relishing in the closeness and the warmth Eren brought along with him.

“I’ve missed you so much, Levi,” Eren whispered. “Next time I leave, you’re coming with me.”

Levi wound his arms behind Eren’s back. “Sounds like a plan.”

 

* * *

 

 

They rarely rode Levi’s two-door convertible with the top down. But it being spring and the weather being reasonable, add to that the fact that Eren liked riding in the car with the top down, Levi thought it acceptable to do so.

Minutes later found the pair speeding along the freeway, hands linked on top of Eren’s thigh. Every so often, Levi would sneak a glance at his lover, and the sight would prompt him to lift the corners of his lips in a minute smile. At that moment, the wind ruffled Eren’s short, brown locks, rendering the man’s hair an even greater mess. His eyes were darting across the scenery before him, drinking in the sight of the home he had left for so long. A smile played on his lips, sometimes miniscule, mostly wide, and Levi could hear Eren humming the beginnings of a song.

“That happy to be back?” Levi broke the silence.

Eren’s head turned to regard Levi, a grin consuming half of his face. “That goes without saying, Levi.” His thumb fondly stroked the arch of Levi’s palm and added, “I’m ecstatic that I wouldn’t have to celebrate my birthday away from you again.”

Levi snorted at the statement, and a smirk played at the corner of his mouth. “Remember last year when you were practically bawling over Skype, because you couldn’t come home for your birthday?”

“I-I did not bawl!” Eren huffed indignantly, a flush quickly scattering all over his cheeks. Of course, his reaction to the anecdote served to prove otherwise.

“What was that again? ‘Leviiii, come get me. I don’t want to be here anymore,’” Levi said through bouts of quiet laughter.

At that point, Eren’s face was an excellent imitation of a tomato, and his hands clutched at Levi’s right arm. “Noooo, stop it,” Eren whined.

But Levi did not relent, not in the least. “‘Levi, I’m so lonelyyyyy. I want to go hoooome.’” Levi chuckled more as he kept his eyes on the road.

Moments later found the brunette male desperately burying his face into his hands, mumbling about stupid boyfriends and their stupid sense of humor. Levi wanted to tug Eren’s hands from his face and see that undoubtedly mortified expression, but for now, the groans and whines his boyfriend was emitting served as enough entertainment.

Levi shifted gears as he prepared to exit the freeway, carefully switching lanes as he did so. Soon, they were cruising along the short flyover leading to a busier street. As he spotted the traffic light flashing a yellow light up ahead, Levi eased the car to a slow drive and eventually to a stop.

As soon as Levi had the car on brake, Eren slapped the man’s arm soundly, earning him a surprised yelp from his boyfriend. 

A string of expletives left Levi’s mouth. “Ow! Fucking shit! That fucking hurt, Eren, what the fucking hell?”

Eren puffed his cheeks, and flopped back into his seat, huffing and looking away from Levi. The black-haired man rubbed at his arm furiously in an attempt to lessen the sting, which, to his dismay, proved to be a futile effort.

Levi glared daggers at his boyfriend who refused to look at him. Despite his aching arm, Levi could not help but smile to himself. Sure, Eren had a tendency to act a bit childishly despite being twenty-five years old, and the man never did anything in fractions, especially when it came to being irate, but Levi could never find it in himself to take these characteristics against Eren. Naturally, these drove him up the wall at times, but these had been the very same qualities he first liked in Eren.

His gaze reverted towards the road, and he waited for the light to turn green. He let Eren simmer in his current mood, but his hands found his lover’s, and he threaded their fingers together loosely.  He stroked the back of Eren’s hand lightly, and he was slightly surprised when Eren squeezed his hand. The younger man, after all, tended to sulk for a long time, and he would be totally unresponsive within that period.

Levi chanced a glance at his lover and found him smiling sheepishly. In a flash, the expression was gone, and was replaced with one of contrition, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and his lips turned down in a pout. “Sorry for hitting you, Levi.”

“It’s nothing, Eren,” he said as he brought Eren’s hand near his lips, showering it with soft kisses. Eren melted further into his seat at the gesture, a dreamy sigh escaping his lips. A soft smile graced his mouth, and he mouthed a “Thank you” at his lover. Eren placed his hands on his lap, and his other hand moved to rub soothing circles into Levi’s hand. Levi only unlaced their hands when the light turned green.

 

* * *

 

Levi met Eren when he was seven years old and Eren was six. At that time, he had just moved to Trost with his adoptive family, and being the naturally quiet kid that he was, he didn’t take to people as easily as his older adoptive brother, Erwin, did. It did not help that the past five years of Levi’s life had been quite difficult, and this only added to his reluctance in meeting people. Even as the Smiths nurtured him, he spent most of his time hiding behind Erwin’s or his mother’s legs.

School had been particularly challenging for Levi. On his first day at school, all the kids flocked his table during recess, all wanting to have their questions about him answered. Where were you from? Why did you move here? Why is your hair styled like that? What’s your favorite color? Do you like ponies? Isn’t Spongebob the cutest?

Not wanting to seem rude to his new classmates, Levi answered the questions. He would keep his answers monosyllabic, just to get it over with, but with more answers came more questions, and halfway through, Levi just wanted to go home.

To Levi’s young mind, that particular experience had been harrowing. To him, it felt like eternity and the questions seemed never-ending. The bell signalling the end of recess was welcome music to his ears.

While most of the kids lost interest in him after a few days of refusing to play with them, eat with them, or answer any more of their questions, some kids were quick to terrorize him because of it. One day, he had found himself cornered between the seesaw and a bunch of his classmates, his few bigger classmates looming over him. Despite their size, Levi did his best to stand his ground and not bolt through the nearest opening.

At first, they were just talking—asking questions, taunting him, running their mouths. But before long, he had felt himself being shoved, his back thumping against the edge of the seesaw as he fell on his butt. Without a word, Levi stood up, his fisted hands minutely quivering at his sides. He knew it was wrong, oh how he knew it. But at that moment, something had welled inside him, something he knew he had to let go. Just as he was readying himself to throw a punch, to kick hard, to shove back, he saw a figure, its back facing him, arms stretched out in a sign of defense.

Someone was protecting him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the kid, he realized, was shouting at Levi’s classmates.

Instead of being intimidated, the kids only sniggered, the biggest one, presumably their “leader,” taking another step closer.

“Get lost, runt,” the kid sneered.

Levi saw the kid take another step forward, as he lunged up at the taller kid. Despite his fast action, the taller kid easily sidestepped the other kid, and this sent the smaller kid tumbling toward the ground. Infuriated, the smaller kid quickly darted up and turned to face the taller kid, and that’s when Levi saw them.

Green eyes. Green, green eyes. No. Wait. They were blue. No. Green.

In the shifting rays of the sun, the color of the kid’s eyes kept on changing, and Levi’s young mind could not fathom what color they were, could not place a name to that special shade of green. 

While Levi had been a little lost in his thoughts about colors, the kid with the pretty eyes had, once again, launched himself towards the taller kid, who, at that time, was preparing to take a step back to evade the attack.

It was as if he were seeing things in slow motion. Levi could see the green-eyed kid moving closer and the taller kid taking that one step. That was his chance.

Before he could register what he was doing, he was taking a step forward, towards the kid who was bullying him. He was on the kid’s left side now, and as the kid had his right foot poised to take a step back, his center of gravity momentarily shifting, Levi had swept his right foot underneath the kid’s left foot, making him fall onto his back.

There was a tense moment of silence in their little group. Not one soul dared to speak a word.  A few beats of this silence passed, and suddenly, a loud wail interrupted that quiet.

On the ground, his arm slung over his eyes, the taller kid was bawling. Heaving sobs left his throat, and snot built up on his nostrils.

“Mommy!” the kid kept on crying. “Mommy!”

They were all transfixed at the scene, all unsure of what to do. Soon, one of the teachers was rushing towards them. The petite, blonde woman stood by the seesaw, her mouth agape at the sight.

“Oh, my goodness. What happened here?”she said as she crouched down, concern thick in her voice. “Why is Andrew crying?”

One of the kids pointed at Levi, and said, “He was the one who did it! He kicked Andrew and he fell on his back!”

The teacher turned her gaze towards Levi. He was expecting the teacher to scream at him, to berate him, to punish him. But instead, a soft and even voice met his ears? “Is that true, Levi?”

Levi was taken aback by the question and only nodded as a response. 

At this, the green-eyed kid scrambled towards the teacher, and also spoke up. “But Miss Grace, they were being mean to him! He was on his butt when I got here! They shoved him!”

The teacher, Miss Grace, let out a long sigh at the information. Instead of going off at the kids, she opted to help Andrew up, patting at his clothes as she did so. She motioned for the boys to come closer, and in mere seconds, they had edged towards their teacher. “Now, boys, you all know that it’s not good to fight, right?”

The kids only nodded sheepishly.

“The next time you guys fight, I’m afraid I’ll have to ban you from going out to play during recess for one week. Do you want that?”

“No! Anything but that, Miss Grace,” a kid had cried out.

“Will you kids do it again?” she asked, as she peered at each of their faces.

“No, Miss Grace.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes, Miss Grace,” the kids chanted in unison.

“If I see you fighting again, what will I do?”

“Ban us from playing during recess time for one week.”

“Good boys,” she beamed at them as she straightened up. “All right, off you kids go, before the class bell rings.”

The kids who had terrorized Levi quickly fled the scene, and bolted inside the school’s doors. Before he could even move to leave, he felt a hand latch onto his wrist.

“Wait!”

Levi turned to regard the only kid left. Now that things were no longer frenzied, he could clearly see what the kid actually looked like. The kid was actually smaller than he was. His brown hair was strewn every which way, and it did not help that he fell flat on his face earlier. His round face had smudges of dirt on it, no doubt due to his earlier fall. As expected, what would have been a set of nice clothes—a dark, green hoodie and a pair of dark wash jeans—were now in disarray, and his light green sneakers were coated with a thin layer of dust.

“Are you okay?” the kid said, concern evident in his eyes.

Levi’s eyes widened at the question. He found it odd. This kid had obviously gotten it worse than he had, because he fell flat on his face twice. The kid did not even seem to notice how dirty he was at that time, and instead seemed to make it his priority to look after Levi. Admiration welled up in Levi. What a person this kid is—to be so young, but already so selfless. Granted, he might not have given his actions that much thought, but he had still tried to help, instead of just passing the scene by the way other kids had.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Levi said as he clucked his tongue. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and quickly wiped at the kid’s face. “You’ve got dirt all over you.”

“Never mind that!” the kid said. “I can clean up later. Are you okay?”

Levi kept on rubbing at the kid’s face until it was clean. After that, he quickly patted off the dirt on the kid’s hoodie and jeans, and fluffed up his hair just make it a tad bit tidier. He inspected his work, and hummed in approval.

“There you go. You’ll have to ask your mom to wash your shoes for you, though.”

“I-I could have cleaned up on my own!” the kid huffed, his eyebrows set in a determined furrow. His eyes were still fixed on Levi, still waiting for an answer to his question.

Levi heaved out a sigh, and answered, “You can stop worrying now, kid. I’m okay.”

“Why do you call me kid when you’re not much older?” he said, his head tilting slightly to one side.

“Because I’m older,” Levi simply said.

At this, the kid frowned, his thick eyebrows furrowing even more, and his eyes shifted color. His mouth was turned sharply downward, in a visible display of distaste.

Levi started walking towards the school’s doors, painfully aware that the first bell signalling the end of recess would ring any time soon. The kid followed suit, his shorter legs having to take quicker steps just to be able to match his pace. He did have to walk fast, after all. They were going to be late for class. 

“Hey, I’m Eren,” the kid said through large intakes of breath. He was running now, trying his best to run and overtake Levi. “My name’s Eren Jaeger. What’s your name?”

Levi considered the boy before him. His green eyes were now sparkling with interest, and his mouth was spread out in a wide grin. His cheeks positively glowed, and his smaller hands were lightly tugging at the hem of his thick sweater. Everything about the boy just screamed eagerness.

“I’m Levi,” he found himself saying as he strode through the school’s open doors. “Levi Ackerman.”

“Levi Anchorman?”

Levi snorted at the kid’s blunder. “Close. But no. It’s Ackerman. A-ker-man.”

“Your last name’s hard to say,” the kid grumbled as he wrinkled his nose.

They were now breezing through the corridors, their pace a near-sprint as the first bell rang. When they reached an intersection, Eren grabbed Levi’s sleeve again, but this time, his eyes were firmly trained on his shoes, as though he could find a guide to whatever it was he wanted to say on them.

“What is it, Eren?” Levi asked softly.

“Th-thank you,” the kid mumbled, his cheeks dusted with pink this time.

Levi ruffled Eren’s hair playfully, successfully erasing any semblance of order his hair had. “I should be the one saying that. Thank you, Eren.”

Eren’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink, but his shyness lasted only a moment. He had quickly regained his upbeat disposition, and waved at Levi.

“I have to go to class now,” he said pointing at the hallway to the right. “Miss Grace is my next teacher, and she doesn’t like it when we’re late. I’m in class 2.”

Levi nodded. “Okay. Careful on your way to class.”

“You sound just like my dad,” Eren muttered under his breath. “But it was nice to meet you, Levi! See you again soon!”

And with that Eren sped off to his classroom. Levi turned on his heels and walked along the left corridor, heading for the third door on the left side. He quickly slipped into the classroom just as the second bell rang.

\---

Despite being polar opposites, Eren and Levi became fast friends after that incident. Every time during recess, Eren would look for Levi, bringing both his lunch box and friends with him. Because of that, Levi met Mikasa, Eren’s shy but equally passionate sister, and Armin, Eren’s brilliant best friend.

On the one hand, Mikasa was practically a mother hen to Eren. Despite being only six years old herself, Mikasa would keep on nagging Eren about wiping his mouth, washing his hands, straightening out his shirt, and fixing his hair. This brought much consternation on Eren’s part, but the kid could only huff and struggle as the girl babied him.

Armin, on the other hand, showed his concern in a more laid-back manner. He would ask Eren questions, and let him actually answer. Whenever Eren was about to make a rather questionable choice, mainly about eating another piece of candy, Armin would only carefully guide and talk Eren out of the said decision.

It was quite odd for Levi to be spending his recess time with the three. After all, he had already refused the company of his classmates, and wouldn’t younger children be more annoying than the ones his age? However, Levi found that he did not mind the company of the three kids. They asked questions, yes, but mostly just to ask if he wanted to trade sandwiches, or how class had been, or if Miss So-and-So had given them cookies in class as well. Despite his generally taciturn nature, he had quietly smiled, laughed, and talked with the three kids.

One day, Levi found the three kids huddled together under a tree. Eren was hugging his knees to his chest, and his face was scrunched up against his knees. Mikasa and Armin were on either side of Eren, Mikasa cooing at the boy and Armin rubbing Eren’s back. He trudged towards the trio, and the nearer he got, the more he saw that Eren was actually crying, his shoulders shaking with the force.

“What happened?” Levi asked as he flopped down in front of Eren.

“He lost the book daddy gave him,” Mikasa murmured. “It’s his favorite. He brought it for show and tell, and he doesn’t remember where he left it.”

Eren cried harder at Mikasa’s statement, and Armin hugged the boy from the side.

“I-I lost it,” Eren wailed, muffled through his knees. “Dad will get mad at me.”

“Shh, Eren. He won’t,” Mikasa cooed. “He’ll understand.”

“B-but it was mom’s book!” Eren hiccupped and bawled even harder.

At this both Mikasa and Armin wrapped their arms tighter around Eren, squishing the brown-haired kid in the process.

Levi stood up and brushed the dirt off his jeans. “What kind of book is it?”

Eren whipped his head up at the question, and Levi scrunched up his nose at the sight of Eren’s face. He was covered in tears and snot all over, and his eyes were an angry red.

“The cover is hard,” Armin offered. “It’s brown with gold details on it.”

“I-it’s a book on art,” Eren sniffled. “It was my mom’s book.”

 “Yeah, I know,” Levi murmured as he crouched near Eren. “I’ll look for it, and I’ll give it to you at the end of the day, okay? Wait for me at the gates later.”

“W-will y-you find it?”

Levi’s lips curled upward, the smallest of smiles gracing his features. “I’ll do my best.”

Eren had only nodded, dumbstruck at the help Levi had offered. Levi darted from the place, and back into the school building. He had not gotten very far when he heard Mikasa calling for him. He stopped in his tracks and wheeled to look at the girl.

“I wanna help,” Mikasa said, shifting the scarf higher to cover her mouth. “I want to look for it, too.”

Levi was used to working on his own, but something in him told him to accept the girl’s offer. Two heads are better than one, right?

His answering nod had been so small, it was practically imperceptible. “Let’s split up.”

Mikasa nodded her assent, and the two of them went their separate ways, Levi heading into the school, and Mikasa, towards the playgrounds.

Levi first checked the Lost and Found section. It was, after all, the most logical step. However, it had been in vain; no one had surrendered a book, any book, at their office. Levi thanked them and quickly went on his way. Next he checked Eren’s classroom, but the result had been similar; there was no art book to be found.

He ended up spending the better part of his recess to look for the book. He left neither nook nor cranny undisturbed, but his search for the lost book had been futile. He was about to step outside the school when the first bell rang, and Levi had to walk back inside.

Levi felt quite foolish for promising to return the book to Eren. He had been so sure that he would find it, but here he was, lumbering towards his classroom, not a single clue as to where the book could be.

As luck would have it, Levi would find the book. When he was about to open the door to his classroom, something in his peripheral vision had him doing a double take, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

A janitor was walking past the corridor, and in his arm was a thick book. From what he could tell, the cover had been hard, and a few faint markings of gold were on it. He dashed towards the janitor, tugging at the man’s sleeve as he caught up.

The janitor bent forward to talk to Levi and smiled at him kindly.

“What can I do for you, little fella?”

Levi pointed at the book and spoke up, “The book, please, sir.”

The janitor balanced the book in his right hand. “Is this yours?”

“No, but it’s my friend’s book,” Levi said as he reached out his hands for the book. “He’s afraid it’s been lost forever.”

The janitor chuckled.

“Well, please tell your friend to take better care of his things. I found it on top of one of the swings.”

Levi nodded and took the book, embracing it to his chest.

“Thank you very much.”

“It’s nothing, little guy. Now go back to your classroom, yeah? Class is about to start.”

At the end of the day, Levi walked towards the school gates, and he found Eren standing near it beside a tall, brown-haired man. He was still crying, roughly rubbing at his eyes, and the man only ruffled Eren’s hair and took the boy in his arms.

Fearing that they would leave soon, Levi strode over to them and called out to the man. Eren, recognizing the voice, halted his crying, and looked eagerly at Levi.

“Um, excuse me,” Levi began. “Are you Eren’s dad?”

The brown-haired man squatted so he would be close to Levi’s height, Eren still held tightly in his arms. “Yes, I am. Are you a friend of Eren’s?”

“Yes, sir. My name is Levi Smith,” Levi stated.

“Hello, Levi,” Grisha said, smiling softly at Levi. “My name is Grisha Jaeger. Did you want to talk to Eren?"

“Yes, Mr. Jaeger. I just wanted to return Eren’s book to him.”

Eren struggled to clamber off his father’s arms. Grisha slid his son into a standing position, soft murmurs of “Careful” and “Slowly, Eren” leaving the man’s mouth.

“You found it?”

Eren stared, wide-eyed at his friend. Levi unzipped his backpack and took out the thick, brown hardbound book. Eren’s brilliantly green eyes widened and watered even more at the sight, and, with trembling fingers, gingerly took the book from his friend.

Eren hugged it tightly, tears of joy now pouring from his eyes. He turned to his father, bawling out the words, “Daddy, daddy. He found it. Mom’s book isn’t lost.”

“I know, Eren,” Grisha said lovingly. “I told you it would work out, right?”

Eren nodded fervently, his brown locks bouncing at the movement. “Yes, daddy. I’m so happy.”

“Come, give me the book, son. Let’s put it inside your bag so you won’t drop it.”

It was with a bit of reluctance that Eren let go of the book, but he eventually yielded to his father’s request. Eren returned his attention to Levi, and he gave the older child a big, toothy grin.

“Thank you, Levi,” Eren said, and soon he was hugging Levi. “You found mom’s book. Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you, Levi,” Grisha smiled at him as well. “Eren treasures the book a lot, because it used to be his mom’s.”

His curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, “Used to be?”

“Mommy’s in heaven,” Eren interjected. “She couldn’t take her books with her, so we take care of them.”

Levi pored over that bit of information. He didn’t know whether there really was a heaven, but from what people always told him, it was a very peaceful place full of happiness and beauty. He could not help but wonder: was his mother in heaven, too?

He was tugged out of his reverie when Eren called him.

“Hey, hey, Levi,” Eren said excitedly. “Do you want to go home with us? Dad said he baked some cookies, and we can have some cookies and milk!”

“Yes, why not, Levi? Let it be our thanks for finding Eren’s book,” Grisha piped in.

Levi had never been to any friend’s house before. Then again, he never really had any friends, and he was never really allowed outside any of the orphanages he had set stayed at. To add to that, he was unsure whether his new parents would let him go over to someone else’s house.

“Um,” Levi began, uncertainty thick in his tone. “Is it okay if I drop by our house first and ask my mom and dad about it?”

“Sure. We’ll leave when Mikasa gets here, okay? She has shelf clean-up duty.”

It only took a few moments for Mikasa to arrive, and, when she was told that the book had been found, relief washed over her face, and she smiled, albeit only slightly. She turned towards Levi, taking his hand into hers, and she mumbled a soft “Thank you” to their friend.

“Daddy!” Eren tugged at his father’s hand. “Let’s go eat cookies!”

 

* * *

 

Their friendship was a constant in their lives. Even as the four of them decided on different paths, they remained steady friends. Mikasa and Armin, both steadfast in their dreams of becoming renowned in the fields of mathematics and physics, respectively, decided to apply for science-heavy high schools. Meanwhile, art was an interest that both Levi and Eren shared, and so they had decided to transfer to a high school focused on the arts electives.

Things went smoothly for the four of them in their new schools. Mikasa and Armin were completely in their elements, and on weekends, they would visit and joke about the subtle way they had stumped this teacher with that question. Levi and Eren quickly found their respective niches in their art electives: Eren in painting, and Levi in sculpture. That is not to say, though that the two of them were not good in other art forms and media, because the two of them could easily be all-rounders, and their teachers had lauded them for it.

Apart from the deepening passion for art, Eren and Levi discovered something else in high school: that they were deeply in love with each other. Sure, they had both been practically inseparable in grade school, and yes, they had started to walk home together since middle school, but both of them had assumed that it was nothing more than friendship. It had involved some hugging and holding hands, yes, but those were always with reason. Eren needed comforting, so Levi hugged him. Levi was having a hard time walking with his sprained foot, and Eren held his hand to help him. They had convinced themselves that what they felt for each other was nothing but pure and unadulterated camaraderie.

It took them three whole years of skirting around the issue to find out that they had been wrong. They had been oh, so painfully and unbearably wrong.

Levi was in his second year of high school when they finally got the messages across each other and themselves. Eren had borrowed Levi's notes for art history, and Levi asked Eren to bring his tablet over; the pen for Levi's had been broken, and it would take long before it was fixed. They were both inside Levi’s room then, and they were sitting side by side near Levi’s study table; Levi was powering through some digital art, while Eren sat with furrowed brows comparing his and Levi’s art history notes.

“So you want to work on restoration and care?” Eren asked, poring over Levi’s old notes on art history. “That is so you, Levi.”

“Tch. What do you mean by that?” Levi huffed as he took a sip from his cup of tea. Eren had also noted Levi’s fondness of tea, and he soon joined Erwin’s teasing of Levi being an old soul.

“Well, you like seeing things in their proper order and at their best. You have a penchant for all things old, and you have a tendency to be obsessive when it comes to cleaning them. Hell you practically have a ritual for it. You also like to fix broken things, and you take painstaking care when you do so, so yeah. Restoration is perfect for you.”

Levi stopped mid-sip, and he quietly regarded Eren. Levi always knew that he wanted to take up art, and it was only recently that he got interested in restoration. It was mainly because of some paintings and ceramic wares he had seen, the paint chipping off and the ceramics lacking luster. He always felt a sense of dismay at the state of those pieces, and he figured it was the only reason he wanted to work in restoration. However, everything Eren had said made perfect sense, and he found himself agreeing with Eren’s words.

God, this kid knew him so well.

“There's only one thing I didn't expect from you,” Eren drawled as he turned his gaze towards Levi.

Levi turned to face Eren now, his knees brushing Eren’s thigh. Damn, that felt nice. “What’s that?”

Eren turned, and at that point, the two of them were knee-to-knee. Eren did his best to ignore the shifting color in Levi’s eyes and the heart hammering away in his chest. Instead, he tried fitted on his best neutral look, as he propped his elbow on the table and cradled his head in his hand.

Eren’s eyes were on him, and oh, gods, Levi will never, ever be able to figure out just what color Eren’s eyes were. He had mixed countless paints, tried endless hex strings, but the green he’d come up with would always be off ever so slightly. HE had learned to be content with the word iridescent when describing Eren’s eyes.

“Why sculpture, Levi?” Eren leaned in closer, and Levi had to bite the inside of his cheek to resist the urge to lean in as well.

“I like the way paintings look, and I understand you can create depth in the paintings,” Levi began. “But I feel like that depth is too illusory. But with sculpture, you can actually see that depth; you can come close to touching it, and it will be there. Everything is tangible and palpable, and, well, real.”

Levi shifted closer in his seat, and his hands gestured as he spoke more.

“If you just reach out and brush your fingers against a sculpture, you’d be able to feel the smoothness of the marble, the ridges in folds of material. When you’re working on a sculpture, you can see it, slowly but surely, take shape right under your fingertips, and it feels amazing, that something as dainty and small as fingers, and then some tools of course, can give birth to something as grand as life-size sculptures. I think that’s a beautiful way to experience art, to immerse oneself beyond just sight.”

Eren hummed in understanding and donned a soft smile. “You could easily be a writer, too.”

Levi chuckled at Eren’s suggestion. “Well, literature is one of my other choices, but even at their most concrete, words can still be abstract. Immortalizing likeness is still better with something visual, like a sketch, a portrait, a sculpture.”

“Likeness? Why, is there anyone you’d like to immortalize in a sculpture?” Eren said, a teasing tone lacing his voice.

Before Levi could stop himself, he had already reached out and touched Eren’s cheek. Levi’s fingertips stroked a path down the younger boy’s cheek, towards the ear, down the neck, resting at the juncture between neck and shoulder. He revelled at the soft skin his fingertips had skimmed, and he wondered why he hadn’t touched Eren sooner.

“A sculpture would do you no justice,” Levi whispered. “But neither would a painting, because of your eyes. The color is too impossible to pin down.”

Shock was Eren’s initial reaction, but it was so quickly replaced with shyness and giddiness, and he could feel and hear the blood rushing to head and staining his cheeks. His head no longer registered his actions, and within the next heartbeat, he had pressed his lips against Levi, and his senses sang at the nearness. He could feel Levi’s soft lips on his own, could smell the hints of musk from Levi’s cologne. He could feel the coarseness of the older boy’s jeans, covering inches and inches of skin he had always wanted to see. When he leaned back, through hooded eyes, he could see the faint beginnings of a blush on Levi’s face, and he knew, right then, that the image would be forever burned into his memory.

 

* * *

 

For the better part of their grade school years, Levi had been taller than Eren. When they had entered middle school, there was a good ten-centimeter difference between them. Eren had pouted at that difference, whining, “But I’m only one year younger! It’s unfair that you’re so tall,” and Levi only chuckled and smirked at the reaction.

One day, though, Levi had noticed that difference growing smaller. Their heights crept closer and closer, until one day, Eren and Levi were the same height. “I’ve caught up with you, old man,” Eren would say, and Levi would retort, “Tch. Shut up you, idiot. I’m only a year older.”

But Eren did not stop growing anytime soon. By the time Eren was in his third year of high school, and Levi, in his final year, Levi was stuck at 5 ft. 3in., and Eren stood at 5 ft. 10 in., and was still growing, much to Levi’s chagrin.

“You fucking big-ass tree,” Levi would grate, and Eren would snort.

“And you’re my angry, short boyfriend,” Eren would coo into Levi’s ear, and Levi would swat at him.

It was only when Eren was twenty-one years old that he stopped growing, and by that time, the difference in their heights was well within a foot. It did not help that both Armin and Mikasa have grown taller than he was, as well, and this had been a constant source of jokes among the friends they had made along the way.

“My boyfriend is a colossus,” Levi would complain.

“Aww, but see, you fit inside my arms perfectly,” Eren would whisper, and their friends would laugh.

“A fucking cheesy colossus,” Levi snapped. More laughter followed.

“Don’t worry, Levi. I’m shorter than you,” Petra would smile reassuringly.

“Yeah,” Hanji would pipe in. “You’re a girl, though, Petra.”

“Shut the fuck up, four eyes,” Levi would grit at her.

“What about Connie-bun, though?” Sasha would say between mouthfuls of food. “He’s a guy.”

“And you actually have the gall to call me Connie-bun while insulting me,” Connie would grumble.

And the whole room would erupt in laughter, bar Connie and Levi.

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes had passed, and finally, Levi was turning the keys in the ignition, the car slipping into silence in its parking space. The car’s roof was now in place, and with Eren inside the car, the interior seemed much smaller than Levi remembered it. Honestly; his boyfriend was a giraffe.

Eren stretched his limbs as best as he could in the limited space, and Levi only watched him, steel blue eyes soft and shimmering in what little light the parking building’s lamps could offer. Eren sensed Levi’s gaze on him, and he shifted in his seat, fully facing his boyfriend now.

“Hi,” Eren breathed, a smile lifting the corners of his lips.       

Levi smirked at the innocent gesture. “So. Where’s my souvenir?”

Eren rolled his eyes at the question, chuckling as he leaned further into his seat. “That’ll have to wait for later. In case you haven’t noticed, all my things are in the trunk, and your souvenir’s not small enough to fit in my pants’ pockets.”

Levi slid his right leg upward onto the seat, maneuvering himself to face Eren as well. “Oh? But what if I’m impatient? I want my souvenir now.”

Another eye-roll from Eren, but before Levi could tease Eren further, he found hands quickly tangling into his hair and pulling him forward and lips urgently crashing against his own. Levi’s hands instantly found their way to Eren’s cheeks, cupping them as he angled to deepen the kiss. It was heated from the get-go, and it was tongue on tongue, nearly teeth on teeth, hands quickly roaming and pressing against one another.

It did not matter who’s kissing who; whose tongue had won out in the battle for dominance. It did not matter that it was Levi mewling and whining as Eren nibbled and suckled at his lower lip. Eren did not mind that he could only watch with half-lidded eyes as Levi’s pale skin was set ablaze with the deepest of flushes. Neither of them had the time to clearly think about what they were doing; only put premium on the fact that they were there, at that moment connected. All that mattered was the dance of tongues and lips they were in. To hell with the tempo they had set for themselves.

They broke apart fully after what seemed like minutes, their foreheads pressed together. They looked at each other through hooded eyes, and moments later, they were laughing, mirth bubbling over from both their mouths.

Another kiss on the lips from Eren, much gentler this time, and Levi found himself grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat.

“It goes without saying that I missed that,” Eren whispered.

A short expulsion of breath from Levi, and an even wider smile. “Me, too.”

They stayed like that for a few more moments—foreheads touching, eyes closed, breaths synced. Eren’s thumbs were tracing lazy circles on Levi’s cheekbones and Levi’s arms were practically knotted behind Eren’s neck.

Levi broke the silence, his smile morphing into a smirk at what he was about to say.

“Hey, Eren.”

The younger male’s lips twitched upward. “Hmm?”

“You stink.”

And the next thing Levi knew, his left arm was stinging worse than his right arm had.

\---

The short walk to their apartment complex was invigorating for Eren. He was only gone three months, but he had been pining for home the minute he got on the plane. Sure, he liked to travel, and sure, seeing scenery abroad was something he always looked forward to. But being here, walking in the familiar streets of Trost, holding his love’s hand in his own was something he would always, always crave no matter how strong his wanderlust would be.

Once again, he took in his surroundings. Spring always worked its magic in Trost, and in the brightness of the midday sun, his hometown looked like a scene taken out of a vintage cityscape.

Trost was, for a lack of a better phrase, and old city. It had been established during the early 18th century, and back then, it had been nothing but a small rustic town. During that time, only a few, simple wooden cabins were standing, and the town had been more of a plateau and an agricultural hub than a bustling center of trade. However, an influx of rich immigrants from the prosperous town of Sina during first half of the 19th century, all fleeing from the wrath of their tyrannical leader, had transformed the idyllic town into a developing city. The log cabins were eventually upgraded into brick and stone buildings and apartments, mostly in the beaux-arts style. This resulted in large stone and marble buildings, with massive, round columns, arched doorways and windows, and rusticated surfaces.

In some places, especially near the “newer” parts of the city, the beaux-arts style of architecture yielded in favor of an art deco style of architecture, all stained glass and sculpted or wrought iron filigreed designs on tall buildings.

Only a handful of buildings were contemporary in style, and these had been built only a few years back. Current and past administrations had made it a point to properly maintain and preserve the old buildings, no doubt recognizing their possible economic use.  

At first glance, it might have been an odd combination: the solid and imposing feel of the beaux-arts buildings versus the light and ornamental vibe from the art deco ones. However, it had proven to be quite charming, as many travellers flock the city just to take pictures of the buildings and the cobblestone streets.

“It’s just like visiting Europe,” one traveller had mused. “But on a lesser budget.”

When they—Eren, his father, and Mikasa—had moved to this city, he could recall how much in awe he was of the buildings, his eyes wide at and hungry for the intricate designs on the different buildings. Later on, he would find himself reading about the different architectural styles, which later on translated into a deep interest in the arts. With the knowledge in arts came a deeper love for Trost, the city he quickly considered to be his hometown.

Levi was no different when it came to impressions of Trost. Though he had initially arrived in less-than-ideal circumstances, he was quickly charmed with the city’s ambience. While the filigreed designs in the art deco building were a bit too froufrou for his tastes, he appreciated the solidity the brick beaux-arts and tall buildings gave him. As a child, he especially loved the streets when it rained, as he watched the rain drops and puddles seep through the cobblestones. In addition, the oldness of the city gave off a feeling of familiarity, one that he never seemed to get in the seven years prior to his arrival in Trost.

“I may be older by a few years, but you’re clearly an old soul, Levi,” Erwin had taunted him countless times.

Sooner rather than later, his surname had been changed to Smith, and he was calling Trost his permanent home.

The two of them sauntered along the street, soon arriving at their four-storey apartment complex. Much like most of the Trost, the building was largely made of stone and marble, with two Corinthian columns adoring the entrance and rounded corners. True to the style, the doorways and windows were high and arched, and each floor was punctuated with some relief sculptures.

Eren sighed dreamily at the sight of the apartment building, and he could not help but practically skip as he climbed the marbled steps and through the heavy double doors. Levi only smirked at the way Eren was moving, no longer able to hide his amusement at his lover’s apparent happiness.

The lobby was, of course, just as Eren had remembered it. He snorted at his thoughts. He was away for three months only, after all.

The receiving area was basically the center of the apartment complex. It was a rectangular area, with a high, dome ceiling spanning the first two floors of the building. The dome ceiling was a paneled one, but in lieu of paintings were mid-relief French ornamental carvings, painted gold against the vast whiteness of the ceilings.

Large, beige, marble columns lined the left and right sides of the receiving area, each column acting as support for the second floor landings. The columns sectioned off a space on either side of the building, and that space had been fashioned as a lounge.

The lounge had a plush carpet covering the floor and several sets of sofas and tables. The sofas were mostly chesterfields and cabrioles, and the tables, ornate and mahogany. But the best part of the lounge, Eren thought, would have to be the windows.

All around the walls were large pedimented windows, a set of burgundy curtains hanging from gold-plated ornamental rungs. Much like the ceilings, the pediments had mid-relief carvings of French ornamental designs. The curtains had been drawn back, bright, midday light filtering through the glass. Only handful of people were milling about, understandable since it was supposed to be a workday.

In the middle of the receiving area, the floor was all patterned granite as far as the eye can see, and right at the center was a large slab of marble fashioned into a receiving booth. Right behind the booth was a grand, carpeted staircase leading to the second floor.

Eren sighed dreamily once more. He still could not believe that the beautiful, hotel-like building was actually where he had been living for the past two years.

“Oh, finally back, eh?”

A gruff voice had the two of them turning towards the booth.

“Hi, Mr. Pixis,” Eren called as he bounded toward the booth. “I’m back!”

“How was Vienna, son?” the old man asked as he clapped Eren’s shoulder.

“It was beautiful, like a dream,” Eren simpered. “And the homesickness wasn’t too bad, because it looked like Trost, but at a larger scale. Of course, home would always be better.”

He turned towards Levi as he threaded their fingers together.  “Nothing ever beats home,” Eren added.

“Well, home is where the heart is,” Pixis laughed. “Tell me when you’re going to Germany. I’ll tell you which places to visit.”

“Oh, do you frequently visit Germany, Mr. Pixis?”

“Yes. I was born and raised there, too. My family moved here when I was thirteen. The rest of the clan is still in Germany, though, so we visit them at least twice a year.”

“Wow,” Eren whispered. “That is awesome! I’ll be sure to tell you if work brings me to Germany.”

“Be sure that you do,” Pixis chuckled. “Speaking of work; no work today Levi?”

“I was able to take a leave,” he said. “That means overtime work, though.”

“Working on new pieces, huh?”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned at the thought of the work he had left. “Two paintings the half the size of our windows and several ceramics.”

Eren whistled at what Levi said. “Kinda big pieces.”

“Yeah, and the people who had previously restored it did not bother cleaning it before restoring the paintings. I cannot understand that.”

Pixis hummed at Levi’s dilemma. “Sounds like pretty sloppy work.”

“I think that might just be an understatement,” Levi muttered.

Pixis barked a laugh at the statement, and patted Levi’s shoulder. “I’m sure you can figure something out, my boy. Your work is brilliant, after all.”

Levi offered a half-smile to the old man. “Thanks, Mr. Pixis.”

“Well, I won’t keep you two any longer,” the old man nodded towards the staircase. “Go home and catch up on some rest. I bet you kids are tired.”

“Thanks, Mr. Pixis,” Eren beamed. “See you around.”

\---

Eren flopped down on the divan by the foot of their bed, as he slipped his socks off his feet. Levi sauntered into their room, a tray of food in his hands. Eren bundled up the socks into a ball, zipped over to the clothes hamper inside the bathroom, and washed his hands. Levi was setting the coffee table in their room when he came out from the bathroom.

“It’s rare for you to allow lunch in our room,” Eren said as he helped Levi with the placemats and the napkins.

A clink of utensils, and Levi straightened up. “I figured it’d be more comfortable here than in the dining room, and you like this couch more than the one in the living room, so here we are.”

Eren chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Levi. He had to strain a bit just to kiss Levi’s neck, but he rather enjoyed doing so.

“You’re always so sweet, Levi.”

Levi rolled his eyes at the comment, and turned around to kiss Eren’s cheek. He had to stand on his tiptoes and Eren had to meet him some part of the way, but neither of them minded.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you colossus.”

“What’s for lunch?”

Levi pointed at the table, and padded towards the living room. “I’ll just get some wine. What do you want?”

“You’re more adept at choosing wine than I am. I trust your judgement,” Eren smiled.

“Tch. You make it sound like it’s a life-or-death decision.” With that Levi was out of the room.

Eren sank down on the plush sectional sofa and swept his eyes over the spread on the table. There was a ceramic cooking pot containing pot roast, a plate containing two rolls of sliced chicken cordon bleu, a bowl of mashed potatoes, and a sauceboat loaded with gravy.

These were all his favourite dishes, and he could not believe that Levi actually had time to cook all these dishes.

“I settled for some chardonnay, Eren,” Levi said as he entered the room. “I hope that’s fine.”

“Thanks, Levi. This is quite a feast you laid out.”

“It’s a celebration, because your exhibit in Vienna was a success, and now you’re back.”

Levi sat down on the sofa beside Eren, and set the wine glasses on the table. He filled both glasses a quarter of the way and handed one to Eren. He set the wine down on the tray, and raised his glass.

“To you, Eren,” Levi began. “To more exhibits, more artwork, and more happiness. Welcome home.”

They were simple words and well-wishes, but they had Eren blushing to his ears.

“Aww, Levi,” he said as they clinked glasses and drank. “You really know how to spoil a man.”

Levi nodded, a lopsided grin adorning his face. “With food. And wine. It can’t be simpler than that.”

“Actually, it probably could be,” Eren droned. He took Levi’s glass and set both their glasses on the table. Eren gathered the shorter man into his arms, and settled him on his lap. He nipped at Levi’s left ear, sending shivers across Levi’s skin. “It’s always simpler than food and wine, Levi, especially when it comes to me.”

Eren was a walking temptation with those beautiful eyes, but when he wanted to be a tease, he was irresistible. As it was, it took herculean effort to disentangle himself from Eren’s arms, and it took even greater effort to prevent himself from kissing that goddamn smirk off the damn kid’s face.

“None of that now,” Levi groused, as he reached for their plates and utensils. “Eat and bathe first. You’ve got plane germs all over you.”

Eren snorted. “The way you were making out with me earlier, I never would have noticed I had plane germs all over me.”

A loud smack on the upside of Eren’s head and a loud yelp from the younger male, and they were soon dining on their feast.

\---

“Bath’s ready, Levi,” Eren said as he rounded the corner to their kitchen. “Come on, let’s bathe.”

“Okay,” Levi said as he turned off the tap. “Let me just wipe this down, then I’ll join you.”

“All right,” Eren said as he slipped into their room and then into the bathroom. He expressly stripped himself of his clothes, folding them neatly and setting them in the hamper. He checked the temperature of the frothy water in the tub again before submerging himself in it. He stretched his legs out and rested his head on the ledge of the tub.

The sound of the door swinging open had him looking up. He sat up in the tub, and he saw Levi pulling his shirt off, and Eren could not take his eyes off the sight. Stretches of smooth, alabaster skin was revealed to him, and even after ten years of being with Levi, it would always be wondrous to him.

“Enjoying the show, brat?”

Eren snapped out of his daze, and he realized that his boyfriend was already facing him, Levi’s fingers hooked at his boxers’ band, hands trailing lower and lower as he moved to take the offending material off. Once he had taken all his clothes off, Levi also folded them neatly and deposited them in the hamper.

Wordlessly, he slipped into the bath tub, sitting and settling himself in front of Eren. He pressed his back against his lover’s chest and laid his head at the crook of Eren’s neck.

“This is the life,” Levi sighed. “I’m really happy you’re back home. The house is too big without you.”

Eren nuzzled Levi’s cheek and snickered at the statement.

“First of all, the house really is big, even for the two of us,” Eren began. “And also, everything would be too big in your perspective ‘cause you’re short as fuck.”

Levi splashed as much water as he could onto Eren’s face, some of it traveling up the brunette’s nose and mouth, causing him to gag and cough.

“Fucking smartass asswipe. Serves you right, you big-ass moron,” he growled as he clapped Eren’s back.

“Fucking hell! You didn’t have to drown me,” Eren whined in between coughs. “I could have died! And don’t call me a moron. I used to coach you through our math subjects.”

“Yeah, yeah, you were in advanced math, too. I won’t forget.”

“Damn right I was.”

Levi rolled his eyes again. “I’d resuscitate you, you know,” he murmured as he kissed Eren’s forehead and lips, a quiet apology from the older man. He resumed his earlier position, and he ensconced himself in Eren’s arms again.

They soon got to work on cleaning each other. Eren lathered up Levi’s hair, while Levi lathered up a loofah before scrubbing Eren’s legs. The two of them worked in silence, with the occasional giggle from Eren whenever Levi would graze a particularly ticklish spot, at which Levi would just scoff and devilishly tickle the boy.

When they were done, they drained the tub of water, rinsed themselves, and filled up the tub again for soaking. Eren poured in some citrus bath soap, and once again, they settled in the bath, skin-on-skin, completely sated and happy.

A few minutes of silence passed before Eren broke the silence.

“Hey, Levi,” Eren whispered against Levi’s shoulder. “Did you miss me? Because I missed you so much, it was unbearable.”

Levi shifted from his perch on Eren’s legs, and he turned to look at his lover. “Of course I missed you. It was difficult sleeping at night. Too cold, and the bed felt unfamiliar.”

Eren smiled softly and laced his arms around Levi, breathing in the scent he had been missing for the past three months. “When I was in Vienna, the mornings would always be fun. I’d always be surrounded by people, and I had places to go to, art classes to attend, and such. But the nights would be unbearably lonely.”

He drew back a bit, depositing slow and soft kisses against Levi’s collarbone, working his way up to his lover’s lips. “It felt like I was lost at sea, and I didn’t have any beacon for me to get back on land. Sometimes people would invite me out for a drink or for dinner, but even in their company, I’d feel alone and lonesome, and I realized it was because I’d much rather be here, at home, with you, bickering over something mundane, than be someplace beautiful without you.”

Eren withdrew his arms from Levi’s back and he threaded their fingers together. He looked into Levi’s eyes, and he didn’t know if it was a trick of the light, but at that moment, they were too bright, too glossy, too awash with unshed tears. Levi scrambled towards Eren, and the next second found the two, eyes closed, lips pressed together firmly. With a deft tongue, Levi coaxed Eren’s mouth open, and once again, their tongues were dancing, slower this time, tender this time, and none of them wanted to stop.

Levi was the first to pull away, and he pressed himself closer, showering Eren with soft, fluttering kisses. He could feel the all-too familiar heat coursing through his body, threatening to consume him, but he did his best to quell it. He sidled his body right on top of Eren’s, and he buried his nose in his lover’s neck.

“Sorry for being too sappy,” Eren murmured as he stroked Levi’s wet hair.

“You know what they say, Eren,” Levi said. “That at its most beautiful, the moon is a lonely sight with no one to share it with; that beautiful things, truly beautiful things, inspire melancholy rather than happiness, because they remind us of what is out of reach.”

He hugged Levi tighter to him, and a smile played at his lips. “I suppose that’s true. But there’s always the exception to the rule.”

“Oh, is there?” Levi said, his voice playful and light.

“It’s you, Levi,” Eren whispered into his lovers ear. “You’re the most beautiful person to ever grace my life, and you’re also the only person to make me so perfectly and fervently happy, and I‘m afraid to even imagine life without you.”

Levi bolted backwards, unbelieving of the words he heard. He looked into Eren’s vivid, green eyes, and he could see the pure sincerity, the endless devotion in those green depths.

And most importantly, the maddening love.

He launched himself into Eren’s arms, the water in the tub sloshing noisily around them, and this time, he did little to tame the heat that kept on egging him on the moment they kissed in the car. They were a tangle of limbs in the bathtub; Levi folded his legs on either side of his lover, his arms thrown around Eren’s neck, and his fingers weaved into the younger man’s hair.

The kiss was all-tongue from the start, the barriers keeping their desires in check completely obliterated. Eren raised one of his thighs, bringing their hips closer together, their erections rubbing on impact. They broke apart for a bit, heated whispers of pleasure leaving both their mouths. Quicker than they had broken apart, they were back together, and their tongues tangled in a heated battle for dominance.

Levi was now moving on top of Eren, his hips rocking fervidly, and it very nearly sent Eren crashing. Eager to drive his lover crazy as well, Eren met Levi’s movements, stroke for stroke, and he was soon tracing a lazy finger along Levi’s erection.

Levi threw his head back at the sensation of Eren’s fingers on him, and it took everything in him to stifle the moan that worked its way up Levi’s throat. He latched himself again on Eren’s mouth, teeth nibbling and pulling at the swollen lower lip. A guttural sound escaped from Eren, and soon the brunette’s hands were on Levi’s ass, pressing their groins closer, sending a jolt of electricity through them both. This time, Levi could no longer stop the moan that slipped past his lips.

Before they were too far gone, Levi propped his elbows on Eren's shoulders.        

“You fucking brat,” Levi whispered hoarsely. “You fucking beat me to the punch.”

A chuckle and a kiss from Eren, and then he spoke in earnest. “I mean every word I said, Levi—all of it. I won’t ever let you go, and I will never have any reason to.”

Eren reached for the box he had hidden earlier behind their plethora of bath products, and Levi’s eyebrows furrowed at the sight of it.

“You know, I’ve put a lot of thought where I’d do this,” Eren started, as he fiddled with the small box in his hands. “When I was in Vienna, I was thinking I’d find a way to bring you there, and do it then. But I wouldn’t know where to hide this, and I was afraid you’d find it before I could find the time for Vienna.

“Next I thought I’d do it on my birthday. I mean it’s only a few days away, after all. But then I thought it’d be weird, like, I was asking for your answer as my birthday gift, and that seemed like a douche move.

“And then I thought, why not your birthday?” Eren laughed. “Then I realized, it’s pretty much the same as Vienna. You’d probably find this before I could even plan for it.”

Levi’s head was swimming with Eren’s words. He knew what was happening, had a very good idea about what his lover was trying to do, but a part of him was still shell-shocked and disbelieving, and it was only the shock that prevented him from pinching himself just to check if he were dreaming.

“Eren, I—”

“But my final thought,” Eren cut him off. “Was that I should do it when I get back. I should do it here in our home in Trost. Because this is where I met you. This where I fell in love with you. This is where I want to stay with you.

“And I love you, Levi. No force in the universe can ever convince me otherwise, and the only thing that would make me happier than I already am would be the chance to be with you always and the knowledge that you want to be with me too.

“So, Levi,” Eren whispered, as he brushed the tears from Levi’s face. The older man had not even realized he had been crying. Neither did he realize that he was waiting, breath bated, for his lover’s next words.

“Levi, please do me the honor of marrying me. Nothing can give me greater joy.”

The moment the words had left Eren’s mouth, Levi had nodded. He was nodding so wholeheartedly and eagerly, his head could have fallen off. But that was all he could muster, too happy to speak, too overwhelmed to even try.

Eren sighed at his boyfriend’s—fiancé’s—reaction, and he took out the ring from its box. It was a simple rose gold band, a sky blue topaz sitting snugly at the center. Eren slid the ring onto Levi’s finger, and he kissed the shorter man’s forehead.

Levi lifted his hand and stared at the ring. “A topaz, huh?” he breathed, his tears still working their way down his cheeks.

“The color reminded me of your eyes,” Eren said, and he took Levi’s hand and shifted it from side to side. “See, the color changes in different light. One moment, it’s grayish, another it’s blue.”

Eren laced their fingers together once more, and smirked at Levi. “I’m not the only one with pretty eyes in this relationship, you know.”

He found a very embarrassed and very flustered Levi kissing at his neck and clinging tightly around his torso.

“I love you, Eren,” Levi said. “This is the happiest you’ve made me thus far.”

Eren leaned back into the bath tub’s edge, shifting Levi on top of him in favor of a more comfortable position.

“I love you, too, Levi. Thank you for accepting me.”

A few beats of silence passed the two of them. They would, no doubt, be pruny when they get out of the bath, but they stayed there, entirely too comfortable in their large, white bathtub, the smell of citrus wafting through their nostrils.

A low, rumble of laughter disturbed the stillness, and Eren was surprised to find Levi guffawing.

“What’s wrong?” Eren asked, bewildered.

Levi tried his best to answer immediately, but laughing made it a chore. When he was master enough of his voice, he answered Eren, but not without an accompanying laugh.

“Y-you,” Levi started. “You fucking proposed to me in a bath tub.”

And he was off, laughing once again, clutching at his stomach, his forehead resting against Eren’s shoulder.

Eren was dumbstruck, but he found himself joining in on Levi’s mirth.

“So I did.”

 

 

FIN. 

**Author's Note:**

> Edited this for formatting and some missing words. :D i guess proofreading your own work is not the best course of action. XD


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